Solving a Peculiar Case of Pelvic Pain

Pelvic pain is not always what it seems. I recently saw a woman in her early 30’s who had been having pain over her pubic bone region for over a year. The pubic bones are the part of the hip that meet in the front. Her pain started when she was in the the 3rd trimester of her pregnancy with her first and only child. Unfortunately over a year later, her pain had not gone away still. She had tried going to a chiropractor and physical therapist prior to seeing me.

She said that although the chiropractic treatment had helped, she felt the benefit had plateaued. She was hoping to get pregnant again, but was afraid to try again because she was worried whether or not her body could handle it. She was worried that the pain would not allow her to take care of her toddler.

As she was describing her story to me, I originally though this would be some kind of round ligament pain that often plagues pregnant women. The round ligament goes from the uterus to the pubic bone so often pregnant women describe pain there as their uterus grows. Although normally that pain goes away after childbirth.

She told me that her physical therapist found that her inner thigh muscles were really tight and sore on the left. The physical therapist had described that the muscles had pulled the left pubic bone down and that now they were not sitting symmetrically at the joint. So they had tried to massage and release the inner thigh muscles, which temporarily provided slight relief.

I have to admit that I did not see the tight inner thigh muscles on the left as having pulled down the left pubic bone, but I saw it the other way around. Something caused the left pubic bone to move down and the adductor muscles contracted simply to protect it. As I evaluated her, the left pubic bone was more dense “harder” than the one on the right. To me this is a sign that it is tender. We were still left with the question of what could have caused the pubic bone on the left to become so tender?

Initially I though it could have something to do with the uterus, but as I evaluated the uterus and the round ligament and uterosacral ligament, there was nothing there that stood out to me. She had had a C-section when she gave birth to her child so there was a scar just above the pubic bones. I explained to her that scars often act like “soft tissue black holes.” They pull all the tissue around them into them over time. Sometimes that can be a reason someone has back pain or other pains. It seemed like that could have been the answer, but I wanted to keep searching for other clues.

Recently, I published a post for professionals about how to isolate the kidneys, ureters, and bladder. In it, I describe how a problem in the bladder can cause the pubic bones to become dysfunctional. It can happen unilaterally. I definitely felt an issue in her bladder, but then I decided to check her kidneys as well. The left one felt somewhat inflamed. I decided that’s where I wanted to start.

Immediately, she said, “I feel that changing in a lot of places, including my pubic bone.”

I knew we were on the right track. Then she added, “By the way, I forgot to mention but I’ve also had kidney stones before and I had them in my 3rd trimester.”

Suddenly, it all made sense to me. It was the inflammation in her kidney that was causing a chain reaction down to the left pubic bone causing it to feel more dense and tender. That, in turn, was causing the inner thigh muscles to contract on the left.

After treating the kidney, I wanted to see what kind of a change took place from that. I wanted to know if my reasoning was right. So I went back to check the pubic bone. The pubic bone was instantly more pliable, resilient, and “softer.”

“That doesn’t hurt anymore,” commented the patient as we did that. Once she got up, she tried to recreate the motions that cause her severe pain, like holding a door open with her foot, but said she was no longer feeling the pain.

Seeing her back a week later, she remarked that her pubic pain had gone. She was amazed in disbelief at how much had changed in that one visit. Physical activities no longer caused pain. She was now hopeful that she could get pregnant and was no longer fearful that she would not be physically unable to care for her two children at the same time. She no longer felt like this was something she was going to have to “live with for the rest of her life.”

I was so grateful to be able to give this woman her life back. I will never know the full extent of it, but it is moments like this that make me extremely thankful that I can practice what I consider the most powerful manual therapy there is, osteopathy.

About Daniel Lopez, D.O.

Daniel Lopez, D.O. grew up with a lot of pain trying many things that did not help. Realizing that if he could not help himself, he would be unable to help others effectively, he dedicated himself to finding real answers. Since that time, Dr. Lopez has found a unique but powerful style where he has patients from around the country and the world that travel to see him for headaches, TMJ issues, eye issues, neck pain, back pain, and more.
Daniel Lopez, D.O. is an osteopathic physician with Osteopathic Integrative Medicine. Prior to that he had a private practice in NYC for 6 years.
He is the author of the Amazon best seller "Unwinding the Body and Decoding the Messages of Pain: An In-Depth Look into the World of Osteopathic Physicians and How They 'Magically' Use Their Hands for Healing." He lives in Aurora, CO with his wife and daughters.

Pat Karns was the Head Athletic Trainer with the Colorado Avalanche winning two Stanley Cups. He was also the Head Athletic Trainer for Men’s Ice Hockey at the Olympics in 2002 in Salt Lake. He’s worked with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA and as a staff Athletic Trainer at his alma mater at St Cloud State University, and served as the Clinical Outreach Coordinator at St Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois. He holds an undergraduate degree from SCSU in St Cloud, MN and graduate degree from UNC in Greeley, CO. He’s a Certified Athletic Trainer.

I want my patients to return to full function and beyond. And for those playing sports I want them to strive for excellence at the highest level they want.

I specialize in photobiomodulation (laser therapy) and Vitality Protocols providing a complete spectrum of services for those that want the most current medical technologies.

After the birth of her first daughter, it was through her own difficult breastfeeding journey that Sarah Curtis, D.O. came to deeply appreciate the effects of structure and function, and how osteopathy and other tools can play a vital role. Dr. Curtis began to intensely study breastfeeding physiology, and applied it to her expanding knowledge of structure (anatomy) and function, in the newborn period and beyond. Dr. Curtis has experience treating patients in all stages of life: from minutes after birth to minutes before death. Dr. Curtis has an interest in applying OMT in the breastfeeding dyad, pregnancy-related conditions, a variety of pediatric cases such as plagiocephaly, autism, ADHD, neurodevelopmental disorders, in addition to migraines and sports injuries. The goal is restoring structure, so that the person may develop and function optimally.

Dr. Curtis found her way to osteopathy through an interesting path. During her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin, she spent months in Mexico studying medical Spanish, taking medical school classes, and shadowing in a hospital and public health clinic. She was fascinated how, in a hospital where few luxuries were provided, the young physicians always made time to physically touch their patients. She noticed how this simple gesture affected the patients. After commenting about this to her fellow student, this student asked, “haven’t you heard about osteopathic physicians?” That evening, Dr. Curtis spent ten pesos in the internet café researching all she could about D.O.s, and then she decided to apply solely to osteopathic medical schools. During her time at the University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, she pursued an additional year in a predoctoral fellowship in osteopathic manipulative medicine. This gave her the opportunity to pursue research, study osteopathy at a deeper level, and take a variety of courses from renowned physicians practicing osteopathy. After toiling with the idea of pursuing family medicine or obstetrics and gynecology, it was a moment of feeling overwhelmed yet inspired during her second 40-hour introductory cranial course where she solidified her desire to pursue neuromusculoskeletal medicine/ osteopathic manipulative medicine residency training. She and her new fiancé packed up their dog and two cats and moved to New York City, where Dr. Curtis completed a 3-year residency at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. In residency, Dr. Curtis was fascinated with treating the newborn babies and postpartum mothers. She also received training in treating pregnant patients and pediatric patients both in an inpatient and outpatient setting, as well as a multitude of other patients and conditions.

Dr. Curtis is board certified and joins OIM after several years working in academics, at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine and at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine, in Parker, Colorado, where she continues to serve as adjunct professor.
Dr. Curtis enjoys her time being outside in the beautiful Colorado sunshine with her husband, two daughters, dog, and two cats.

Lacey McCormick

Lacy is a NCBTMB-certified massage therapist. She began her professional education at the Ancient Wisdom College of Healing Arts. She received her Cranial Sacral and Myofascial Release certificate in 2016, and has modified her routine with a combination of direct and indirect approaches.

She continues to refine her skills and is currently studying Chinese Herbal Medicine at the Hasin Fa School of Herbal and Energetic Medicine, and she plans to incorporate herbal remedies into her practice. Combining this new skill set into her ever-evolving routine will allow her to approach deeper issues she finds in her clients through meridian examination.

Clients can then further take part in controlling their health through tinctures, saves, proper diet that fits their constitution, and energetic movement to encourage fascial flow and stimulate Wei Qi.

Alejandro Marin

Alejandro Morin has been practicing massage and bodywork since 2001. His approach to therapy is to apply any needed technique to create the release and reactivation of problematic areas of the body. His knowledge of working with the body is rooted in eight years of teaching anatomy and physiology at the Massage Therapy Institute of Colorado, teaching hatha yoga, and teaching anatomy for yoga trainings. Through these teaching opportunities, he carries a constant wonder about the human body and a desire to inspire people into a deeper relationship with it.

He is skilled in the following areas:

Swedish Massage

Deep Tissue

Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT)

Myofascial Release

3-/10-Series Structural Integration

Joint Range of Motion

Sports Massage

Yoga Instruction in Fort Collins, CO.

Suzanne Mondello

Suzanne Mondello is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) who focuses on providing nutritional support for individuals and groups. She honors and works with clients to provide guidance and support as they achieve their goals. She offers individual attention and empowers each client on their personal path to wellness. Through this powerful experience, clients understand that it is the investment in themselves that brings the results. Suzanne embraces an integrative approach and works alongside OIM physicians and other practitioners to support each individual’s health and wellness.

In addition to being an NTP, Suzanne has an MBA from Saint Louis University and her experience includes working in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, as a management consultant for Ernst & Young’s healthcare practice, and with other organizations. After spending years serving in different areas of healthcare, she chose to focus on nutrition as the core foundation for our wellbeing and is an advocate of Integrative and Functional Medicine.

Suzanne teaches nutrition with the Nutritional Therapy Foundation and Organizational Leadership for Brandman/Chapman University. She enjoys speaking and offers nutrition classes at OIM.

Paula Quezada

I am a native of beautiful Colorado. I have spent the last 20 years as a medical assistant, specializing in alternative/anti-aging medicine. I have extensive training in IV therapies as well as, regenerative tissue protocols. I enjoy working closely with patients as they find their way to optimal health. I enjoy spending time with my 3 children and especially my 3 grandchildren.

Daniel Lopez, D.O.

Daniel Lopez, D.O. is a caring expert helping people who specializes in many problems, including headaches (tension and migraine), traumatic brain injuries, TMJ dysfunctions, eye problems, neck pain, back pain, and much more. He has been interested in health since he was young, but it wasn’t until medical school where he realized that “if I can’t heal myself, how can I expect to heal others?” From that moment on, he sought answers, real answers. He was not interested in masking symptoms, but resolving them. He found answers in osteopathy, but it required working with masters in the profession.

Through years of study and practice, Dr. Lopez learned and developed unique and different approach to the human body that has helped thousands around the world. He prides himself on giving being more comprehensive and understanding the intricacies of how affecting one part of the body will affect everything else. He is living his passion of finding solutions when no one else can by being more comprehensive and understanding the intricacies of how affecting one part of the human body affects the rest.

His mission is to promote and push forward the osteopathic profession to provide better quality care to the general public. He loves giving people their lives back, especially when they have been told, they will need to “live with their problem.”

After years of running a successful practice in New York City, where he was sought by patients from all over the world, Dr. Lopez now practices in Denver, Colorado at Osteopathic Integrative Medicine.

Dr. Lopez is an Osteopathic Physician that is board certified in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine / Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (NMM/OMM). Daniel Lopez, D.O., a Colorado native, joined Osteopathic Integrative Medicine in July 2016 after spending 6 years in private practice in New York City.

He was first introduced to osteopathy as a swimmer while attending Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, the birthplace of osteopathy.

Dr. Lopez graduated from Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2007 in Glendale, Arizona. While living in Arizona, Dr. Lopez studied Neurofascial Release, a technique developed by his mentor, Stephen Myles Davidson, D.O.

From Arizona, Dr. Lopez spent one year in Portland, Maine to complete his postgraduate training as an intern at Mercy Hospital in 2008. He went on to complete the remaining two years of his residency at Plaza Medical Center in Fort Worth, associated with the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine.

During medical school and residency, Dr. Lopez advanced his skills by studying at a variety of seminars, including Primal Reflex Release Technique, in which he is now a certified instructor. He also teaches hands on workshops for professionals on material that he is developing.

Greatly influenced by Stephen Myles Davidson, D.O., other practitioners, and the writings of AT Still, Dr. Lopez enjoys deepening his knowledge and understanding of Osteopathic Medicine to best help his patients. He also enjoys teaching, in order to invest in the future of his profession.

Dana C. Anglund, D.O. received his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – School of Osteopathic Medicine (UMDNJ-SOM). He then completed residency training in Family Medicine at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center in South Bend, IN. Following this training he traveled back to UMDNJ-SOM to complete a second residency in Neurmusculoskeletal Medicine (NMM) and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM). While completing these training programs, Dr Anglund also undertook advanced training in Medical Acupuncture, Clinical Homeopathy, and various disciplines of Energy Medicine.

“Your body is marvelously designed to be healthy and to heal itself. The goal of Osteopathy is to support that innate health and to remove any barriers to healing.” ~ Dana C. Anglund, D.O.

David A. Zarou, D.O.

David A. Zarou, D.O. founder of Osteopathic Integrative Medicine (OIM) Dr. Zarou earned his medical degree from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency training at St. Barnabas Hospital in Bronx, New York. He is board-certified in Neuromuscular Medicine (NMM) and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM). Dr. Zarou is both residency and fellowship trained.

In 2007 Dr. Zarou served on the Colorado Division of Workers’ Compensation Medical Treatment Guideline Task Force, to help re-write the guidelines for Low Back and Cervical Spine Injuries. He continues to serve as an adjunct professor for the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine- A.T. Still University, Kirksville Missouri and for Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Des Moines, Iowa.

During his leisure time, Dr. Zarou enjoys spending time with his wife, Kate, and their four children. His passions include music, film, fly-fishing and camping.

“My intention is to be clear and grounded in every patient interaction, osteopathy helps me to assist patients in finding a balanced “neutral” , from which true healing can be activated.” ~ David A. Zarou, D.O.

Jenn Dougherty

Jenn Dougherty, Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) holds a Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training and Master’s Degree in Human Services/ Healthcare Administration. She has been a Certified Athletic Trainer since 1995 and maintains current Colorado State regulation.

Jenn has experience with musculoskeletal injury care providing the continuum of care from acute injury management through return to functional performance with patients of all levels of physical activity. Jenn has additional training as a Certified Massage Therapist, National Academy of Sports Medicine Sports – Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES), and Functional Movement SFMA/FMS certifications. She employs integration of these various methods into her patient care.

Here at OIM, Jenn provides Movement Screening and Assessments, injury prevention education and provides physical rehabilitation including therapeutic exercise, neuromuscular re-education and manual therapy. In recent years she has broadened her knowledge in the area of essential oils usage for health improvement. Jenn enjoys teaching essential oil classes and sharing this experience with our patients and community.

When Jenn isn’t treating patients, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter and son. She loves living in the Colorado foothills and being active outdoors, hiking and camping.

Lori Gulmantovicz, CEO of OIM, Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) – Lori graduated from Regis University with a degree in Neuroscience and Kinesiology. She earned her Athletic Trainers Certification in 2000. Lori has experience with evaluation and rehabilitation of acute and chronic athletic injuries. She worked in a physical therapy setting for five years, rehabilitating acute and chronic orthopedic injuries in patients of all ages.

Lori wears two hats at OIM, she is the CEO for the practice, as well as the clinical assistant to Dr. Zarou. She co-treats patients with him, and designs individual home-exercise programs for each of their patients. She has worked with Dr. Zarou since 2002. She is also a certified pilates instructor. After many years of working with patients on their rehabilitation, Lori and Dr. Zarou decided it was time to offer a more expansive rehabilitation program, thus allowing patients to have more time achieving one one one instruction with their exercises.

When Lori is not at the office treating patients or answering everyones questions, she can be found on the trails, preparing for a half-marathon. She also loves to spend time in the mountains camping and hiking. Lori and her husband Tony, are the proud parents of Nathan who is 3 1/2 years old.

“Each rehabilitation session is intended to help complement the balance achieved with osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), and support functional motion.” ~ Lori Gulmantovicz

Greg Cicciu

Greg has been studying Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 20 years. In the early 1990s, he attended both a Five Element School and a Traditional Chinese Medicine school. These two programs empowered Greg to learn and utilize a variety of Acupuncture and Tui-Na (Chinese massage) techniques, in addition to developing a strong comprehension of Chinese herbal formulas. In 2011, Greg published his first Chinese pulse diagnostic book, The Pulse Atlas. It is an illustrative guide to Chinese pulse diagnosis formatted to make it easier for students and practitioners of different learning styles to better comprehend the pulses, regardless of whether one is a visual, audio, or kinesthetic learner. In addition to treating clients, Greg’s passion for education and instruction has taken him around the world, teaching seminars on Auricular Therapy, Tui-Na, and Pulse Diagnosis.

Kim Engell, MS, BBPS, uses biofield energy therapies and biofeedback techniques to improve brain function for optimal cognitive, emotional and body function. She was introduced to energy healing when she sought treatment for her own severe post-concussion syndrome in 2013. Prior to that injury, she had worked 25 years in the social services field with specialization in serving those with intellectual and emotional disorders. The amazing recovery results she experienced from energy healing prompted her career change. She is now certified in several energy healing modalities and has developed her own method of interacting with and encouraging the brain/body/spirit to be whole and healthy.

Kim loves staying on the forefront of exciting new neuroscience and energy healing research, bringing a continually growing knowledge base to her practice. In addition to seeing patients at OIM, Kim is the founder of Be Better Therapies in Fort Collins, CO.